Boston vs Washington Air Quality Comparison

Which city has cleaner air right now, from the latest EPA AirNow AQI

As of September 23, 2026, Boston, MA has cleaner air than Washington, DCAQI 23 (Good) vs 25 (Good), a gap of 2 AQI points in the latest EPA AirNow observations. Lower AQI means cleaner air. Boston's reading is driven by PM2.5 and Washington's by PM2.5.

Boston, MA

Good

StateMassachusetts
Dominant PollutantPM2.5
CategoryGood

Washington, DC

Good

StateDistrict of Columbia
Dominant PollutantPM2.5
CategoryGood

Summary

Boston has 2 points better air quality

Boston has an AQI of 23 compared to 25

Our Pick

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Budget Pick4.7(74,000+ ratings)
Levoit Core 400S
True HEPA · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft
Best value True-HEPA for everyday allergens, dust and dander

Compare top-rated True-HEPA purifiers:

Budget Pick
Levoit Core 400S
True HEPA
True HEPA · CADR ~141 CFM · rooms up to 219 sq ft
~$1004.7
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Editor's Pick
Levoit Vital 200S
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True HEPA · washable pre-filter · rooms up to 1,875 sq ft
~$2004.6
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Large Room
Coway AP-1512HH Mighty
HEPA + Carbon
True HEPA + carbon · CADR ~246 CFM · rooms up to 361 sq ft
~$2304.6
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